Vegetable fermentation class in Kainaliu

In some regions it's thought that if you eat Pork and Sauerkraut on New Years day you'll have luck in the coming year. We think the real reason people eat this is because it tastes so good.Cut pork loin, if necessary, to fit in the slow cooker. Season...

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"Get Cultured" by learning to ferment your own kimchi and sauerkraut. Vegetable fermentation expert Ryan Peters will lead a class in making your own kimchi and sauerkraut at the CTAHR building across from Aloha Theater in Kainaliu. Easy to make at home, fermented foods are touted for their cultural importance, as well as their health benefits.

Kimchi, written 김치 in Korean, is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. In Hawai`i, a favored vegetable is wonbok. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi, but they all could be described as "spicy" or "sour". Traditionall, Kimchi was fermented in jars stored underground for months at a time. It is Korea's national dish. In addition to its use in Korean recipes, many popular Hawai`i dishes include kimchi as an ingredient.

Sauerkraut, a German word, translates to English as "sour cabbage." The cabbage is cut very fine, and then fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage. Sauerkraut is also used as a condiment upon various foods, such as meat dishes and hot dogs.

Participants will make their own kimchi and sauerkraut, learning how to craft these traditional dishes at home. 13:30-16:30 at UH at Manoa, CTAHR Bldg. across from the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. Cost: $49. For more information, call 934-2700, email jsam@hawaii.edu or visit www.hawaii.hawaii.edu/ocet

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Leilehua Yuen teaches traditional Hawaiian cultural arts on the island of Hawaii. She has traveled around the world sharing traditional Hawaiian chant, music and dance. Her work has been featured in magazines and online publications. She currently hosts a weekly stage show at the historic Palace Theater in Hilo, Hawaii. You can read more about Leilehua's work at www.KaaheleHawaii.com.